Subihere
Artanema longifolium

Family: Linderniaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 1 m high. The stems are hollow and slightly fleshy. They are almost square or winged. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaves are broadly sword shaped. They are 4-25 cm long by 1-9 cm wide. It has deep purple red flowers. These are at the top of the plant along stalks 40 cm long. The fruit is a flattened round capsule. It has many seeds. The seeds are narrowly oval and yellow-brown.

There are about 4 Artanema species. It has been put in the family Scrophulariaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in water and wet places in West and Central Africa. It can grow near rice fields and in soggy grassland. It grows up to 400 m above sea level. They grow in the moist tropics. It grows in marshy places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Ghana, India, Indochina, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nigeria, SE Asia, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

It is a minor leaf vegetable. It is recorded as eaten in Lagos, West Africa.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed or stem cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Kekulut gajah, Sesawi pasir

Synonyms

Achimenes sesamioides Vahl; Artanema angustifolium Benth.; Artanema sesamoides (Vahl.) Benth.; and others